DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Dallas police have set up surveillance video at three businesses with the city's largest number of crime reports. They partnered with the businesses and Motorola to provide real-time video visible to police at the department's "fusion center."
The video feeds are available to officers who are monitoring live feeds at department headquarters. Software installed with the system can recognize if someone tries to cover the camera or people are moving more quickly or differently than usual.
"It would bring the feed up automatically in the real time crime center, and an alert tone would actually go off and say, 'Hey, pay attention to this one right here. There's something happening,'" says Lt. James Lewis, the Dallas Police Department's director of special projects.
Lewis says police could then recognize a robbery, prostitution or assault before a 911 call is made. Officers could then be dispatched, given a description of the people involved and what weapons they have.
"It establishes a work-flow process that allows the information to be fed to us rather than us having to seek out the information," he says. "It shaves precious seconds off the officers' response times."
Chief Rene Hall says police will be more visible nearby to ensure crime does not simply move to an area without a camera. She says the cameras will act as a deterrent with a sign and blue light.
"We're not looking to shift crime," she says. "We're looking to make sure we're addressing the concerns."
Hall says Chicago, Detroit and New Orleans have started using the cameras as well. She says Chicago has seen a 40 percent reduction in violent crime; Detroit has seen a 50 percent reduction.
Dallas police will try the cameras at three business for the next six months. The city will then decide whether to expand the program city-wide. Businesses would have to pay about $4,000 for their own equipment.